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Football: Stalemate suits Gould

Niall Edworthy
Sunday 21 March 1993 00:02 GMT
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Ipswich Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

Coventry City. . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

SUCH is the congestion in mid-table that the followers of Coventry City have now begun to speak in terms of survival when only a fortnight ago the talk was of a place in Europe. 'No, it was not entertaining,' said their manager, Bobby Gould, 'but at this stage of the season we are only thinking about survival. Anything could happen between now and the end of the season.'

Both sides, to their credit, did at least try to play football, but all too often neat passing movements broke down for want of a telling final pass.

Without a player in midfield with the vision and authority to control the pattern of play, yesterday's game amounted to an instantly forgettable spectacle of worthy but unimaginative endeavour. In the first half only Paul Goddard and Chris Kiwomya threatened to break the deadlock with volleys that were only marginally wide of Ogrizovic's goal.

Coventry's best chance of the game fell to Mick Quinn but, having done the difficult bit of spinning his not inconsiderable girth 180 degrees on the edge of the six- yard box, he blasted his shot high over the bar.

Five minutes from time Ipswich almost secured victory when Gavin Johnson's free-kick thundered off the post.

Ipswich Town: C Baker; G Johnson, P Whelan, M Stockwell, J Wark, D Linighan, G Williams, B Genchev, P Goddard (S Whitton 75 mins), J Dozzell, C Kiwomya. Subs not used: V Bozinoski, C Forrest (gk). Team Manager: M McGiven.

Coventry City: S Ogrizovic; B Borrows, P Babb, P Atherton, D Busst, J Williams, P Ndlovu, K Gallacher, D Rennie, M Quinn, L Hurst. Subs not used: L McGrath, L Jenkinson, J Gould (gk). Manager: B Gould.

Referee: J Worrall (Warrington).

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